Summoner 2 is the follow-up to Volition's RPG launch title for the PlayStation 2, Windows, and Macintosh platforms. Taking place twenty years after the original, Summoner 2 placess players on the other side of the world, in the realms of Halassar, Galdyr, and Munari City.

Maia, the Queen of Halassar, was a marked child of the prophecy like Joseph, the original title's hero, and also shares the same summoning abilities. Unlike Joseph, however, Maia is aware of her divine roots, and is a powerful ruler of a nation, not a poor farmer. She is also part Odoni, a race native to that area of the world that has a natural affinity to fire and fire-based magic.

Rather than fall into her fate like her predecessor, Maia was raised with the knowledge that she must become the goddess Laharah in order to save the remnants of her land, a realm that has been ravaged by war, corruption, and the erosion of time. By achieving this ultimate form of transcendence, the land can be restored, and life infused back into the world as it was originally created.

Seven characters can join Maia on her quest to achieve throughout the game, including:

Sangaril, the Munari Assassin who betrayed her own clan to save Maia’s life, and is now a devoted friend and follower.

Taurgis, younger brother to Maia’s rival, King Azraman of Galdyr and also an avid historian.

Krobelus, a Urath Heirophant whose rise to power was questionable. He claims to know a secret of Maia’s prophecy.

Morbazan, a former gladiator who, despite his immense success, prefers to use magic. He’s known for devouring souls, and his origins are a mystery.

Iari, a creation of the gods known only as the Unseen, is something along the lines of a cyborg. Iari draws power from gems through her metal exoskeleton to use her energy weapons. The reason for her creation is unclear.

Prince Neru, who is simply known to be a terror to anyone on the seas. He is even rumored to be a dragon or leviathan, although some just believe him to be a mortal.

Yago, the teacher of Joseph himself, is free from the demon that possessed him. He knows much of the lore of Aosi, the language of the gods, but is currently on a quest to find his missing daughter Rosalind, who was Abbess of the Iona Monestery.

Players will be able to command Maia and two more of these interesting characters. Each character will have up to eight equipment slots, with certain characters allotted more. In terms of weaponry, characters will be able to wield an assortment of swords, axes, bows, staves, hammers, and energy weapons.
Combat is much more action-oriented than the first title. Players control one of the three characters in their party directly, while AI scripts run the other party members. Unlike the first title’s chained commands, each button for Summoner 2 represents a different attack. Pressing certain buttons in a row can even create combos, mixing certain fighting elements into the mix.

As stated above, Maia has the same abilities as Joseph did in the first Summoner. While that is true, the manner in which they are summoned is quite different. Instead of them coming to her side, Maia physically transforms into the summoned creature, and players can take direct control of the creature as well. Maia can gain four different summons, and each of them can be upgraded twice into much more powerful creatures.

Summoner 2 should prove to be an interesting sequel to one of the PlayStation 2's first RPGs when it comes out on September 19th